Oh, How the Mighty Fall
by the original killerpineapple
Summary: HPDM Life after the final war isn't as peaceful as they would've hoped...
1. I never left you

Disclaimer:-I own nobody. Not that I care of course. Nope. Not a jot. Hmph.

Chapter 1 

Harry felt the sharp pain run up and down his side as he looked into Voldemort's merciless eyes. The screams and moans of the battlefield-Griffindor slaughtering Griffindor, Slitherin murdering Slitherin, brother killing sister- seemed to melt away, like the memories and thoughts slowly escaping Harry's mind. As he felt his life melt away he could think of but one thing that seemed to make the pain and suffering Voldemort had put him through kind by comparison.

As Harry felt the life ebbing away he screamed out into the battlefield-soon to be graveyard. His thin voice was an echo in the raucous sounds of war.

"Why did you leave me, Draco?"

Voldemort lifted his wand above his head and smirked before proudly yelling the words witches and wizards feared alike.

"Avada Kedavra!"

As the words left his mouth a slight figure threw himself in front of Harry. The blinding light from Voldemort's wand hit Draco and he crumpled onto the floor at Harrys feet. Voldemorts blood-curdling scream reverberated around the field and he fell too, twitched once and moved no more.

Harry dragged himself towards Draco's fallen body and stroked his blood clogged hair.

"Don't die Draco, please!"

Draco replied in a cracked, weak voice, hardly audible through the yells of the victorious and the screams of the Deatheaters, Quick to abandon their fallen leader lying in the dirt.

"I never left you Harry. Never."

As words spread like wildfire that Voldemort was dead, and the newly fallen rain started to wash away the blood, Harry sat with his fallen lovers head in his lap, with his enemy feet away, and cried into the night.


	2. But Voldemort's dead

Sorry I took so long to update. My computer died a horrible and gruesome death.

Disclaimer: I own nobody. At all. Well, in this story anyway. I do own a few of my friends but that's irrelevant.

Chapter 2:

Harry closed the front door and smiled at the sweet music floating through the apartment and the passion of the musician alerted him as to how lucky he really was.

Draco's graceful fingers moved rapidly over the black and white ivory keys of the grand piano as Harry sat down on the stool and watched him with admiration and awe. As he finished playing Harry slipped his fingers through his lovers pale, slender one's and kissed him softly.

Harry winced as Draco let his hand go and lowered him self slowly-oh ever so slowly- into his wheelchair, but then scolded himself for forgetting how much worse it could have been had it not been for the silver armour which now hung above the fireplace.

Seeing Harry's conflicting emotions playing so painfully on his face Draco smiled sympathetically.

"Come here." Harry walked over and sat on Draco's lap, resting his head on his shoulder.

"I chose it this way, Harry. Don't feel guilty. If the use of my legs is the price I have to pay for the death of Voldemort-and your love-I would gladly pay it a thousand times over."

Content with this display of love, Harry closed his eyes and rejoiced in the warmth of Draco's grasp.

"I love you Draco." Harry whispered against the crook of Draco's neck, and was gratified by the thought of being saved twice in his lifetime by somebody's love for him.

Ron quietly closed the door and snuck silently up the stairs to his bedroom.

A gap in the curtain sent a shaft of pure, white moonlight pouring across Hermionie's face and the sadness of what Ron knew he was missing swelled in his chest.

He slipped into bed beside her and snaked his arm around her waist, his hand resting on the bump in her stomach and fell into a deep sleep in the comfort of her warm skin and peaceful expression.

"Ron! Ron!" Ron woke with a start to see Hermionie's face hovering above his.

"What time is it?" The expression on Hermionie's face told him that it was late. He jumped up and ran into the bathroom, struggling to put his robes on with one hand.

"Do you have to go to work?" Hermionie sat up on the white sheets and folded her arms.

"Of course I do! I'm Minister of Magic! I can't just not turn up!" Hermionie pouted.

"Please? We could eat! Or go on a picnic! Or eat!" Ron sat on the edge of the bed and brushed Hermionie's hair from her face.

"I promise, after we catch him, I'll take a long break. We could plan the wedding, go shopping for baby stuff and, if you must, eat ourselves to death."

Hermionie managed to get to the downstairs first and planted herself between the door and Ron, refusing to budge. Ron kissed her and, using her momentary weakness, lifted her from the ground and placed her behind him.

"What are you going to do if you catch him?" A troubled expression clouded Ron's eyes before answering.

"I guess I'll have to sent him to prison. Even if he is my brother."

Hermionie bounded up the stairs and froze as she entered her bedroom.

"Percy."

Although he stood in the shadows at the back of the room, the dark mark stood out clearly against his pale skin.

With an expert flick of Percy's hand the door slammed shut, making Hermionie start. She glanced around the room, looking for a way out.

"Don't bother with the phone either. I disconnected it." A wry smile spread across Percy's face as Hermionie winced. It was then that she spotted the pile of splinters on the bedside table where her phone had been._ Shit._

"What are you doing here Percy?"

"Oh, I just popped in to see my ickle brother. Why do you think I'm here?"

Hermionie opened her mouth to reply but not a sound fell from her mouth, not a syllable could she utter. Another smug grin made it's way onto Percy's bitter face.

"Just so you don't scream."

Harry sat up suddenly in his bed, the blue sheets falling from his bare chest.

"Are you okay?" Draco's look of concern touched Harry.

"My scar. It's hurting again. After ten years."

"But Voldemort's dead."

"I know. I know."

Okay, end of chapter two. Please review and thanx to fizzycolasugarhigh and Dark Angels Blue Fire for reviewing last time.


	3. Snape comes through

Disclaimer: I own nobody but Hermionie's unborn child. Then again I don't own Hermionie or Ron so maybe I don't.

Chapter 3

Harry left Draco's side to answer the door and found Ron grinning for the first in months.

"Hello stranger." Ron laughed sheepishly and invited himself in. Draco, curious as to who it was, entered the room.

"Hi Ron."

"Long time no see."

Harry closed the door and moved over to where Draco sat.

"We're having a barbeque tonight. Ginny's bringing some fireman she picked up in a bar and Snape and Lupin are coming too. Do you and Hermionie want to come?" Harry looked hopeful and Ron sympathised with him. His job had gotten in the way of his and Harry's friendship too.

"Sorry, I can't. This is the first time I've finished early in weeks and I think I should spend some time with Hermionie."

"That's fine. I totally understand."

"Thanks. I might pop in tomorrow. Bye."

An hour later, as Ginny tried to pull 'the Venice story' out of Harry and Draco and Snape and Lupin were busy getting smashed, the doorbell rang.

Lupin staggered over to answer it and, being delayed when he tripped over the table and lay giggling like a smurf on speed, watched Ron run in.

"Changed your mind then. Where's Hermionie?"

"She's gone!" Ron looked dishevelled and almost desperate.

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"Percy's taken her! He must have."

"Are you sure Ron?"

"Of coarse I am! Her wand's broken, she hasn't changed out of her pyjamas and the phone's disconnected!"

Ginny, Draco and Harry looked grave, while Lupin and Snape seemed to instantly sober up and Ginny's poor muggle fireman looked confused. Ron's eyes were wet with tears, almost ready to fall and tumble down his tired face.

"Harry, he hates muggle born's. He'll kill her!"

A week later nobody was any nearer to finding Percy. Or Hermionie.

Percy stormed in to the airy, ominous cell and kicked the damp, mouldy wall. Hermionie looked down and drew her knees closer to her chest, fighting the urge to cry.

"Why hasn't he found you yet? I've made it obvious enough! Stupid little bastard." Hermionie bristled at Percy's hatred for her fiancé and glanced up.

"Don't talk so ill of him. He's ten thousand times the person you can ever aspire to be."

Percy gripped her arm and pulled her to her feet, his face-purple with anger- inches from hers.

"If he's so great, then how come he hasn't found you yet? Or maybe he just never loved the vile piece of filth you are to want you to live." Percy flung her back to the floor and a strange look passed over his face as he watched her.

"Did Ron get you pregnant?" Hermionie protectively covered her stomach with her arms.

"He did, didn't he?" Percy smirked " Oh, the little prat!" He snorted and left the cell, laughing to himself.

Hermionie listened to his malicious laughing and the clang o0f iron gates down the corridor, and finally let tears cascade down her face.

Draco stared out of the window feeling useless. Harry and Ron were at the Ministry; Lupin had left Hogwarts that morning to see what he could find out and even Snape had put his duties as Headmaster on hold to go out looking for Hermionie. Harry, still crushed by what had happened to Draco last time he tried to help, refused to let him leave the house.

Hearing the door open and thinking it was Harry, Draco wheeled himself into the living room, leaving his wand on the windowsill.

Percy smiled widely at Draco's weakness. He knew that Draco was lame but the feeling of power he felt when he witnessed that never failed to coarse through his veins.

As Draco realised it was Percy he tried to reverse his wheelchair, tried to regain his only means of defence, but to no avail. Percy whipped out his wand and the wheels jammed, leaving Draco at his mercy.

"Hello there Draco. You don't happen to know where Ron is do you?" Percy grinned what may have been a charming smile, were his eyes not laden with sarcasm and hate. "I have something of his." Draco flared at Percy's arrogance and malignity.

"Just let her go, you unfeeling bastard." Percy's eyes widened in fury, then he calmed and sneered.

"If I were in your position I'd think very carefully about what to say. I have a very bad temper." He crouched down until his face was level with Draco's and lowered his voice to a whisper." Just ask Hermionie."

"When Ron finds you you're going to wish that you'd stayed in the pit of slime you thought yourself good enough to climb out of!" Percy straightened, wandered over to the mantelpiece and started playing with a ornamental coliseum

"Ah yes. When he finds me. I must say he's doing a shit job of it so far. So I thought I'd come and find him." Percy froze before throwing to coliseum at Draco. Draco snatched his hand away before the ornament hit the armrest and smashed on the floor.

"You've come to the wrong place, Percy. I'm not going to tell you anything."

"Oh dear, what have you become? And the Dark Lord had such high hopes for you." He sighed before circling Draco.

"Come, come now Draco. I don't have all day. Stop pissing about with me." He stopped in front of Draco.

"Crucio!"

Pain surged through Draco's body; every fibre of his being was on fire; his heart wanted to burst free of his chest; his body twisted and his face contorted. Percy finally raised his wand and Draco fell to the floor, twitching.

"Would you like to tell me anything?" Draco looked at Percy with disgust, before spitting at his feet. Percy looked disappointed before crouching down beside Draco's reduced form.

"We could be here a long, long time."

When Harry came home that night, the first thing he noticed was the silence in the air, and then he slowly deciphered a low panting in the living room.

Draco lay in the middle of the wooden floor. His face and hands were clammy with sweat and blood matted his hair.

Harry helped him to the settee and rushed to the bathroom to get a cloth and water to sooth his wounds.

As Harry dabbed tenderly at a deep cut on his forehead, Draco recounted the excruciating events of the past hours.

"What does Percy want with Ron?" Harry looked puzzled as he kissed Draco's head and sat at his feet, his arms folded over Draco's knees.

"I think he wants his position as Minister of Magic." Harry seemed unconvinvced.

"Why would he?"

"The more I think about it the more it makes sense. If he just wanted to kill muggle borns or hurt Ron he would have killed Hermionie and left her at her house. I think Percy's using her as bait to kill Ron and take over the wizarding world." Harry got up and walked aimlessly about the room.

"It's hopeless."

"On the contrary, it's just what we need. If he's using Hermionie as bait then there's a good chance she's still alive. Harry, where's Ron now?"

"He's still at the Ministry. Why?"

Draco's eyes widened and he flinched.

"When Percy couldn't get me to talk, he went to the Ministry to look for Ron. Harry, we need to find Hermionie quickly. Percy will make Ron follow him to wherever he is, but if Hermionie's in the way Ron won't kill him. And Percy will kill them both."

At that moment the phone rang. Harry picked it up and heard Snape's excited voice on the other end. After a quick conversation Harry hung up.

"He's found her."

"Well where is she?" Harry paused.

"She's in…Azkaban."


	4. Azkaban

Disclaimer: Is it really necessary to write a disclaimer at the beginning of every chapter? Once again I own nobody. Happy? Now I'm upset.

Drole is a word, right? I didn't just make it up?

Chapter 4: Azkaban

Azkaban. Once the name had given Harry a sense of security. Now he was filled with dread at the mere mention of the word. At the start of the war the criminals kept there broke out and only dementors roamed the black corridors. Afterwards it had become a safe haven for dementors, death eaters and other convicts too cowardly to leave the safety that the walls (and dementors) offered. A new prison, Gefangnis, was built, holding none of the terror Azkaban once did.

"Holy shit." Draco's face hid none of the emotions. Even if he tried to disguise them Harry could read him like an open book. "We have to get Hermionie out of there."

Hermionie glanced a street lamp flickering not far off and her hope returned. She felt the dewy grass under her bare toes and the cold wind biting at her skin, her thin pyjamas offering no protection from the elements.

It was when she stopped to restore the life to her aching muscles and lungs that she heard the heavy footfalls, muffled by the thick grass.

She started running again, convinced that if she could just reach the lamp it would be okay, her ordeal would be over, she'd be safe.

_Come on. Almost there._

The footsteps sounded closer now.

_You can make it._

She could hear her pursuers heavy breaths as he chased her through the open field.

_Just reach the light._

The light flickered off and she was engulfed by the darkness, choked. She stopped, her destination snuffed out in the twinkling of an eye.

Hermionie gasped as Percy's cold arms enclosed around her waist. Screaming, she turned around and beat at his shoulders with her fists, seemingly minute against his broad figure. Percy gripped her wrists with superfluous harshness and pulled her closer to him, leaving her no room to move.

Suddenly two barely visible pools of light appeared on the road, caused by a cars headlights a short distance away.

Percy dived for cover in nearby bushes, dragging Hermionie helplessly along. They seemed to wait in those bushes forever. Percy pinned Hermionie's arms to her sides with one arm and covered her mouth with the other, yet Hermionie still struggled and tried to scream all the same. But the car passed and Hermionie was once more plunged into darkness, with only Percy's warm breath on her neck to confirm that she was still alive.

Finally, when Percy was sure that there was nobody around, he lifted his hand, stained with Hermionie's tears, from her mouth and used it to jab his wand painfully into her back.

"If you ever try anything like that again I'll break your spine. Do you understand, you little bitch? Your fate is sealed. Don't try and change it."

As Percy dragged Hermionie back to Azkaban the light flickered on, just for a few seconds, before leaving her for the last and final time.

After Harry left for the Ministry of Magic to find Ron, Draco decided he wasn't going to sit back and let Hermionie die. So he grabbed his wand and, looking around his small bungalow one more time, set off to a place he'd thought he'd never willingly go.

Realising that Ron wasn't at the Ministry of Magic, Harry started off in the opposite direction, the wind whipping his already messy hair into a frenzy as he tried to hide in the clouds from muggles on the ground.

When Harry arrived, Draco sat at the door, peering anxiously at the barred windows. Harry's bones chilled and his heart beat faster as he sensed the dementors wandering the long, long halls.

"She's in there, Harry. What if she's already dead? What then?"

Draco gazed hopefully at Harry, releasing some of the innocence that caused Harry to love him so.

"She isn't dead, Draco." The conviction in his voice soothed Draco, yet Harry felt far from certain.

Entering Azkaban was easier that they'd thought it would be. No convicts greated them with murderous intent, dementors seemed to shrink through the wallos at therir approach, death eaters didn't come to finish the work of their once great leader.

Only Percy came to them. He looked exactly like the Percy he had been fifteen years ago, except for his larger build and the dark mark on his arm. He still had an air of superiority, only now he was sarcastic and malicious.

"I was hoping you'd bring my little brother. I haven't seen him in such a long time." His sneer was cut short by whimpering from the adjoining room. He jerked his head and a death eater emerged from a corner Harry and Draco weren't even aware existed. The whimpering came to an end and Percy once more revelled in the silence.

"Let Hermionie go Percy. Your quarrel is not with her."

"Nor is it with you, Draco, yet here you are. Besides, she's carrying Ron's sprog, isn't she? I can't have it coming back to 'get me', can I?"

Harry slowly tried to edge his wand out of his pocket.

"Accio wand." Percy's drole voice made him seem bored, as if entertaining toddlers. "You don't learn, Potter. Ever. I'm better than you. Deal with it. Av…" A sharp pain in his hand interrupted Percy as Draco produced his wand from seemingly nowhere.

Ron stopped Percy's rolling wand with his foot and jabbed Percy in the back with his wand.

"Where's Hermionie, Percy?" Percy bit his lip.

"Hi, Ron. How's it been?" Snape and Lupin entered after Ron and stood behind him, looking rather like bodyguards. Snape stepped forward and handed a vial of veritaserum. Lupin, to save Ron from moving, forced Percy to drink it and, pointing his wand at his, muttered "Enervate."

"Now, once more. Where is she?"

"In the next room."

"Thank you." Snape and Lupin left the room and nothing but shouted curses were heard from them for several moments.

Percy sunk to the floor.

"This isn't the end, you know? There will be others, even if you kill me." Ron Blinked once, twice before muttering "Avada Kedavra." He kicked Percy in the ribs and, when satisfied that he was dead, relaxed. Draco looked shocked.

"You killed him."

"He's no longer my brother. As far as I'm concerned he never was my brother."

Hermionie glanced from Ron to Percy, recognition absent from her eyes.

"Hermionie?" Ron reached out to touch her shoulder and she flinched and moved to the wall.

"Hermionie, it's okay. It's Ron. Percy can't hurt you any more." Ron looked physically pained to see Hermionie so confused and lost.

Slowly Hermionie inched away from her dark corner cautiously.

"Give me your wand." Ron obliged, hoping for any sign of the Hermionie he'd known not two weeks ago. In a manner of seconds Percy's body was obliterated. Not a morsel of flesh or skin remained, and Hermionie collapsed.

Ron caught her before she hit the floor and lifted her up, taking her home to keep her safe, and happy.

Thank you to every one how reviewed. Moony stop almost killing yourself and Pads I'm sorry for the loss of money I caused and I would prefer a cookie.


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